Harry Potter and the Mistress of Cards
by garasu no tenshi
Summary: Harry PotterCCSakura crossover! (I know u get alot of this but I can't help it!) Sakura has disturbing dreams about a certain boy with green eyes, then she and the others receive invitations from Eriol to spend their remaining vacation in England.
1. Default Chapter

Konnichiwa, minna-san!!! Sorry for the pathetic excuse of a  
  
story that I posted earlier... well, I didn't know the mechanics about  
  
how to post and all... but anyway, on with the story! This is my first  
  
story so please R&R!!!!!!! And thanks to those who reviewed even  
  
though the story was so screwed up!!! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter One  
  
Sakura, the dream and the invitation.  
  
Tomoeda, Japan  
  
Dearest Eriol.  
  
Hello! I wanted you to know that the Sealed card incident had ended  
without a problem. The audience of our play, fortunately, didn't  
remember anything after the card attacked us so we had to do the whole  
play all over again. But it was fun. And the play ended in success.  
Tomoyo-chan had it on tape. Do you want a copy?  
  
Syaoran-kun and Meilin-chan went back to Hongkong two weeks ago. I was  
quite sad to part with him but we already know about each other's  
feelings so I won't be much saddened like the first time he went home.  
I know it in my heart that we will see each other again, soon.  
  
I hope you are all doing fine there.  
  
Goodbye.  
  
Your friend,  
  
Sakura  
  
Sakura Kinomoto smiled after signing her own name on the letter. A girl with short, reddish-brown hair and beautiful green eyes, she was positioned on her bed with her back facing the ceiling and her left knee bent upwards. She folded the letter, slipped it inside the envelope and looked at her left side, where the sleeping figure of one of her spirit guardians, Cerberus, is snoring and mumbling, "Hehe... Suppi... I've won this time..." Beside him is a self-composed letter addressed to Spinel Sun, one of the spirit guardians of Eriol Hiragizawa, also known in his previous life as one of the most powerful magician in the world, Clow Reed.  
  
Sakura smiled again and took the letter to slip it inside the envelope as well. She then wrote Eriol's name and address in front, stood up and placed the letter to her study table. Then she turned the lamp off and went to bed, where she murmured "Syaoran-kun..." and fell asleep immediately.  
  
Everything was peaceful until something shone from inside the right-hand drawer of Sakura's study table. It slowly opened by itself and the Sakura book, containing the Sakura cards, flew, suspended in the air. One card emerged from the book.  
  
It was Dream.  
  
It shone brightly and the light surrounded the sleeping figure of Sakura.  
  
She was lost.  
  
Sakura realized that after surveying the place where she was standing. She was in a thick, dark forest-totally unfamiliar to her. She didn't know where to go but was about to take a step forward when a blinding green light shone from one of the clearings in the forest. She went immediately there. More sparks lighted yet again-red, silver and green again... and when Sakura emerged from the bushes, it was to see a tall, slender boy with messy, jet-black hair and penetrating green eyes framed in round glasses. On his forehead is a lightning-shaped scar. He was facing a thin, taller man with a gaunt, snake-like face and blazing red eyes. And they are speaking in a foreign language Sakura can't understand.  
  
"So, you have thought of a way to avoid my avada kedavra? But you can't continue summoning huge rocks, Harry Potter!" said the man with the horrible face. He looked at the shattered pieces of rocks in front of the boy called Harry Potter.  
  
"I will continue to do so, Voldemort, just to kill you." Harry retorted, breathing heavily.  
  
"Kill ME?! Hah! NEVER!"  
  
Then it began again, the duel of death, while Sakura hid behind the bushes, completely shocked at what she is witnessing. Not only are they trying to kill each other, they are also using magic wands and chanting spells and hexes.  
  
The duel continued, until the man called Voldemort chanted "Avada kedavra" and the boy called Harry Potter said "accio" and summoned another large rock, which took the force of the spell and was blown up into small pieces. But the man disappeared with a loud CRACK just as the rock exploded and appeared behind the boy.  
  
"Goodbye, Potter." he said as Sakura yelled "No!" at the top of her lungs and a blast of green light illuminated the forest.  
  
"SAKURA!!!"  
  
Sakura bolted upright in bed. Her heart was beating vigorously and her breath rasped audibly.  
  
"Are you all right, Sakura?" asked the concerned Cerberus.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"It was. a dream, Kero-chan." She said.  
  
"Yeah, I know." The flying stuff toy pointed at the Sakura card lying beside her. "I saw it functioning when I woke up."  
  
Sakura picked up the card.  
  
"Dream... that means..." she started.  
  
"... it was a prophetic dream." he finished. Then he frowned, crossing his arms in his chest. "What did you dreamed about?"  
  
Sakura's normally cheerful face was concerned.  
  
"I dreamed about a man called Voldemort fighting with a boy called Harry Potter. And, guess what? They are wizards."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Sakura nodded again. "I saw them attack each other with wands and spells. " she shuddered, "And at the end, I think the man killed the boy."  
  
"You think?"  
  
"Well, I didn't see it exactly. The older man was just behind the boy that he simply cannot missed." she sighed. "All I saw was a shimmering green light."  
  
Kero-chan landed and sat on Sakura's bent knees, still frowning.  
  
"Do you know anyone named Harry Potter or Voldemort?" he asked.  
  
She shook her head. "It sounds so foreign... the language they're speaking... " she murmured. "What could this mean?"  
  
Cerberus sighed as well.  
  
"I don't have any idea."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sakura was still preoccupied when she went downstairs for breakfast.  
  
"Ohayo, Sakura-san." greeted her father, Fujitaka Kinomoto. A tall man who is currently teaching Archeology in a big university, he has the same shade of hair and eyes like Sakura, and a gentle, caring face.  
  
She smiled distractedly.  
  
"Ohayo..."  
  
Her father stared at her. "What's the matter, Sakura-san?" he asked gently, but concerned really.  
  
She shook her head. "It's nothing." She even smiled to enforce what she said. Then she turned to greet her mother's picture. Her mother, the beautiful Nadeshiko Kinomoto with long, slightly curly black hair and violet eyes, was featured frozenly waving at them with a bouquet of flowers on her other arm.  
  
"Ohayo."  
  
Her father continued to stare at her.  
  
Her brother, Touya Kinomoto, was currently cooking their breakfast. A tall, handsome young man with his mother's features, he is always fond of his sister, but he doesn't want to show it. Now, he sensed her preoccupation. Wanting to cheer her up, he greeted "Osoiyo, kaiju."  
  
"Kaiju janai." Normally, she would yell this and try to kick her brother. But this time, she just protested meekly. She sat down on one of the chairs and stared blankly at the wall in front of her.  
  
Touya placed their plates on the table and, annoyed-but really concerned-by her total lack of response, he waved a hand in front of her face.  
  
"Oy! Sakura!" he bellowed.  
  
Sakura blinked, then she grinned. "What is it, Onii-chan?" when she looked at her breakfast, she yelped. "Ahh! Pancakes! Itadakimasu!" Then she proceeded to eat as if she was starving.  
  
Touya and Fujitaka just looked at each other.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Tomoyo-chan, are you sure you don't know anyone named Harry Potter? Or Voldemort?" Sakura asked anxiously.  
  
They-Sakura, Tomoyo and Cerberus-are currently having tea and cakes inside Tomoyo's spacious bedroom. Earlier, Sakura went out, with Cerberus hiding inside her backpack, to drop the letter in the mailbox. She then decided to visit Tomoyo to tell her about the disturbing dream. As always, Tomoyo welcomed them graciously inside her huge mansion. She was wearing a vivid red dress that brought out the blue of her eyes and the blue-black of her long hair.  
  
Tomoyo Daidouji shook her head. But she inclined it thoughtfully.  
  
"That means they're foreigners. From the sound of the words you caught, I think they're speaking in English." she said helpfully.  
  
"Uh-huh." Sakura agreed.  
  
"Maybe they are Americans, or British, or Canadians..." Tomoyo added.  
  
"But then, why did I had a dream about them?"  
  
"That is the mystery." Cerberus said, then he proceeded on finishing off a large slice of cake in two bites.  
  
Tomoyo smiled. Cerberus' tummy was inflated because of too many cakes and other sweets.  
  
But Sakura didn't notice this. She was busy pondering her dream.  
  
"Are you all right, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked worriedly.  
  
Sakura forced a smile. "Don't worry 'bout me, I'm all right." she said.  
  
"Well, did you hear the way how the people in your dream spoke?" Tomoyo suddenly asked.  
  
Sakura frowned faintly. "Ummm... the way they spoke... " then she realized something that made her eyes widen. "Their accent!" she yelped.  
  
"What?" Cerberus asked.  
  
"Their accent is exactly like that of Eriol! That means they're British!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
London, England  
  
A big brown owl perched on the windowsill, tapping its beak on the glass of the window. After a few moments, it was opened by a young lady with long dark hair and twinkling eyes. She accepted the letter from the owl and closed the window while the owl flew into the night. She looked at the seal and guessed where it came from.  
  
"Eriol! You got a mail from Dumbledore!" Ruby Moon shouted. But the first to appear was Spinel Sun.  
  
"Dumbledore? What does he want, Eriol?" the flying black cat asked the boy standing behind him.  
  
From the shadowy door appeared a boy of twelve years, with straight black hair parted in the middle and mysterious gray eyes behind black framed eyeglasses.  
  
"I think I know what Dumbledore wants." He went to Ruby Moon and accepted the letter from her. He unsealed it and read the letter rapidly. Then he sighed. "Just as I thought..." Then he smiled a very boyish smile and said, "I am looking forward to seeing Sakura-san again."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Two days had passed since the day Sakura realized that the people in her dream were British. She tried to call Eriol thrice, but the line was always busy. She was about to try again but the doorbell rang suddenly, startling her. She went to the door and opened it, where the mailman smiled and handed her several letters. She thanked him and closed the door.  
  
The first letter was addressed to her. "Hoe..?"  
  
Curious, she opened it. Inside was an invitation from... Eriol-kun.  
  
It said:  
  
Sakura-san,  
  
How is everything there? Do you have anything to do? I know you still  
have more than one month before going to school. Can I invite you then  
to spend your remaining vacation here in England? I also want to  
invite your brother and Yukito-san, and I hope they can come. I have  
sent two other invitations to Tomoyo-san and Li-kun. I hope your  
father will permit you.  
  
I will wait for you a week from this day.  
  
Inside the envelope are three tickets to England.  
  
I am looking forward to meeting you again.  
  
Eriol  
  
"A vacation!" she said loudly, excited.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was dinnertime, and the Kinomoto family was eating dinner together with Yukito Tsukishiro on Sakura's invitation. She was waiting for the perfect moment to tell them about the invitation of Eriol, and it came when dinner ended.  
  
"Hmmm. that was surely tasty." said Yukito, who was Sakura's former crush. He was also Touya's best friend. Tall, silver haired with gray, kind eyes, he was as popular as her brother in college.  
  
"Thank you again for inviting me, Sakura-chan." he said.  
  
Two and a half months ago, she might have blushed. But she just smiled today. Syaoran is the one she really loves, not Yukito.  
  
She also shook her head. "Ummm, don't mention it."  
  
"So, what do you plan to do, Sakura-chan? You still have a long time before school starts." Yukito asked.  
  
She took a deep breath and told them about Eriol's invitation. When she finished, she turned to her father. "Oto-san, can I go?"  
  
Fujitaka smiled. "Of course you can."  
  
She turned to Touya. "You will go with me, ne, onii-chan? And Yukito also." she said hopefully.  
  
"No." Touya simply said.  
  
"Onii-chan!"  
  
He looked at the hopeful face of his sister for a long time and relented.  
  
"Oh, alright."  
  
Sakura jumped from her chair with excitement.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"WHAT!? ENGLAND!? WE'RE GOING TO ENGLAND?!" Cerberus screamed at her.  
  
"Kero-chan, lower your voice!" Sakura hissed. Then she nodded happily.  
  
Cerberus flew and did some aerial ballet. "Wai wai! England, here we come!" Then he stopped in mid-air in front of Sakura. "Is Tomoyo coming?"  
  
"Of course, " she said, "Tomoyo told me she will record our vacation on tape and give it the title 'Sakura in England'."  
  
"Then I supposed the kid will also come. And if the kid will come, then surely the brat will also come!"  
  
Sakura frowned. "Don't talk about Syaoran-kun and Meilin-chan like that!"  
  
She was in the act of throwing a pillow to Cerberus when he asked, "But why would Eriol invite us?"  
  
She lowered the pillow, her ire forgotten. "Eriol-kun said that we can spend the remaining of our vacation there, that's all. But that is not the reason why I want to go there."  
  
"Sakura..."  
  
"Kero-chan, I want to know who they are." She shuddered. "For the past two days, I've been dreaming the same dream, and I still can't see what will happen to Harry. The only way is to go to England itself and ask Eriol- kun."  
  
"The letter said he will wait for us a week from now."  
  
Sakura smiled. "You know Eriol-kun, his letters are always magical, so that means he will wait for us a week from today. That means this coming Saturday." Then she looked at the ceiling.  
  
"I can't wait for Saturday to come." she murmured.  
  
~~~~~~~@@@@@~~~~~~~  
  
Yay!!! They're going to England!!!! Please review and tell me all your opinions and criticisms... I've done some revisions here, heh, I told yah the first one was totally screwed up! Ja ne! 


	2. Chapter Two: England

Chapter Two  
  
England.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts.. " the feminine voice over the intercom said, signaling the landing of the airplane.  
  
Sakura looked out of the window. The clouds parted to reveal a large landing path. At last, England.  
  
"We're here, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo told her from beside her, smiling faintly.  
  
"Yeah.. " on a closer look, Sakura's eyes are a little misty but has that certain anticipatory look.  
  
Tomoyo happened to know why.  
  
"Li-kun is waiting for you there." she added.  
  
"Um," Sakura replied, nodding happily and smiling faintly.  
  
The plane landed sometime later, then the passengers started to stand up.  
  
"Oy, kaiju, ikuse!" Touya told Sakura.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
From the landing below, a tall, young boy of twelve with slightly unruly dark-brown hair and reddish-brown eyes was looking longingly at the unmoving airplane in front of him. Beside him is a girl in his same age with his same eye color and long, black hair parted in the middle, with a bun on both sides, then continued to fall downwards.  
  
In a few moments, he will see Sakura again.  
  
Syaoran blushed at the thought.  
  
Meilin, the girl beside him, noticed this.  
  
Eyes turning mischievous, she teased "Ne, Syaoran, what do you plan to do to Sakura this vacation?"  
  
"Meilin!" Syaoran hissed.  
  
The black-haired boy behind them laughed. Syaoran turned to him, too.  
  
"Hiragizawa, not you, too!" he growled. He lifted his arms, folded it and joined his hands on his nape. His blush remained.  
  
"Li-kun sure is anxious to see Sakura-san again." Eriol piped up.  
  
Meilin also laughed. Syaoran was scowling fiercely at both of them when a vision with bright, green eyes descended down the stairs. He stopped, turned and stared at Sakura.  
  
Sakura noticed him at the same time Syaoran saw her. She ran as fast as she can then stopped directly in front of him, a distance of three meters separating them.  
  
For a long time, they just stared at each other. Then Sakura grinned, and she launched herself on Sayoran's arms, arms that were opened immediately and automatically to catch her. Sakura smiled at the stunned look on Syaoran's face. "Hisashi buri ne, Syaoran-kun."  
  
Syaoran wrapped his arms around her.  
  
Around them, Tomoyo and Eriol smiled gently, Meilin also smiled, albeit sadly. Yukito smiled, too, but Touya was enraged.  
  
"Oy! Gaki! Take your hands off my sister!" he growled. Sakura and Syaoran broke apart, both blushing fiercely. Then Touya and Syaoran glared daggers at each other. Sakura laughed hopelessly. "Hoe. "  
  
Everyone also laughed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Privet Drive, England  
  
"BOY!" Uncle Vernon bellowed, "Come down here immediately!!"  
  
A boy of sixteen years with messy, jet-black hair, brilliant green eyes and a lightning shaped scar on his forehead just looked at the closed door of his room, then he ignored the command by his uncle. His name is Harry Potter.  
  
Harry returned his attention to the book he's reading, The Quidditch Almanac, a present from one of his best friends, Hermione Granger, for his sixteenth birthday. He also had other presents; a bunch of sweets (the usual candies and chocolates from Hogsmead) from Ron, a cake from Mrs. Weasely and another cake from Hagrid. Surprisingly, the people from the Order also gave him gifts. Tonks gave him a mahogany, rectangular box where the words Broom Improvement Kit was stamped. It is used to improve not only the Firebolt's speed but also to make adjustments. Mad-eye Moody gave him a mini Foe Glass. For you to detect your enemies right away, his note said. Remus Lupin gave him a silver-handled dagger with rubies embedded on it- which he suspect is real. This gift was the most confusing, at first. Yet Lupin's note explained everything.  
  
Harry,  
  
Happy Birthday!  
  
I wanted you to have this dagger. I found this a week ago in  
Grimauld's Place and remembered this as the gift James, Wormtail and I  
gave Sirius on his sixteenth birthday.  
  
I hope you'll like it.  
  
Remus  
  
Harry's green eyes darkened at the reminder. Even though his presents increased, he still couldn't get the idea that there will be no present coming from his godfather. He would no longer see him. He bowed his head as a familiar lump appeared on his throat. Like what happened to Cedric, he also had dreams about the death of Sirius, starting from his duel with Bellatrix and how life was took from his slender body.  
  
He wiped the moisture from his eyes as he heard another shout from the kitchen below.  
  
"BOY!!! COME DOWN NOW!!!"  
  
His grief was a painful thing. When he came to the Durselys from Hogwarts, he hid his grief so deep that he would just function like an automaton, doing all the shouted orders from his aunt and uncle without a blink or an objection, surprising all three of them, including Dudley. Dudley did his best to insult, provoke and fight Harry, but Harry would just stare at him emotionlessly, then leave him staring at the other boy. Sometimes, when he, Harry, wanted to be left alone, just like now, he would ignore their shouts, which, unfortunately, will make them more determined to call him.  
  
"COME DOWN HERE THIS INSTANCE!!!"  
  
He had been working almost all day yesterday, cleaning almost all the rooms in the house, washing the dishes and tending the garden. Two months ago, he would hate the Dursleys for it, but this time, he was thankful because it would keep him from thinking for the whole day and after doing all this, he would sleep right away due to exhaustion. Only his dreams kept reminding him what had happened less than two months ago.  
  
"FOR THE LAST TIME --- "  
  
"Alright, I'm coming." he answered in a voice loud enough to be heard from downstairs.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What do you want?" Harry asked after coming down the stairs. Uncle Vernon was looking at him calculatingly. Good, he thought, he's going to order me around again. God, I wish today's September 1 already. At least in Hogwarts, I will have many things to think about.  
  
Uncle Vernon continued to look at him with suspicion. "You got a letter." he announced in a clipped tone, still incensed that Harry didn't responded earlier.  
  
Harry looked at him, surprised.  
  
"It came from an owl and, of course, it is addressed to you." Vernon said grumpily. He handed out an envelope. The words were written in green ink.  
  
It was the letter from Hogwarts.  
  
Dear Mr. Potter,  
  
Please note that the new school year will begin on September the  
first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station,  
platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.  
  
I like to tell you that you will spend your remaining summer vacation  
in a friend's house. Don't worry, Harry, it is a safe house. Bring all  
your things with you.  
  
Enclosed is a portkey that will transport you there, and also your  
list of books for next year.  
  
I will be waiting for you there.  
  
Yours Sincerely,  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
From Dumbledore himself? Harry mused. He shrugged and went upstairs to pack his things. Vernon's voice cut him short.  
  
"What was that about?" he growled.  
  
Harry turned back to him. "Professor Dumbledore told me to go to a friend's house and stay there for the remainder of summer. I'm going to pack my things."  
  
"WHAT!? AND DON'T WE HAVE ANY SAY ABOUT THIS!?" he bellowed again. He was about to launch himself in front of Harry when Aunt Petunia pulled him back.  
  
"Let him go!" she hissed, clutching his arms.  
  
Harry didn't waste any time to hear Uncle Vernon's retort and went upstairs to pack.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sakura and the others arrived at Eriol's sprawling house in London immediately. They were ushered by their host inside the house and there, they were welcomed by Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun.  
  
"Touya-kun!!!" Ruby Moon yelped, launching herself at Touya to hug him.  
  
Touya grimaced. "Oy, Akizuki! What do you think you're doing!?" he cried, trying to lose her hold. She ignored him and greeted the other visitors. "Irasshai masen, minna-san!!"  
  
Tomoyo, Meilin and Yukito smiled. Sakura waved. Syaoran grunted. Cerberus emerged from Sakura's backpack and flew towards Spinel Sun.  
  
"Suppi!!!" he yelped. He held Suppi's hands (paws?) and revolved him around the room.  
  
Ruby Moon, to Touya's relief, disengaged herself from him and told Eriol, "Your other visitors are in the library."  
  
Eriol smiled gently.  
  
"Eriol-kun, you have other visitors? If you like, we will proceed upstairs so as to not disturb you." Sakura told him.  
  
"You don't need to, Sakura-san. I want you all to meet them." He led them to the library. "Now, if you would just follow me. "  
  
They stopped in front of the huge double mahogany doors of the library and Eriol opened them.  
  
Inside were two people. One is an old man with long, silver hair and twinkling blue eyes framed in half moon-shaped spectacles.  
  
The other is a tall boy with penetrating green eyes and messy black hair. They both turned to the door when they heard the door opened. When the black-haired boy looked at them, they saw a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.  
  
Sakura recognized him immediately.  
  
"Harry Potter." she murmured.  
  
~~~~~~~@@@@@~~~~~~~  
  
Soooooo?! What do you think!? Is it okey? Please review!!!!! 


	3. Chapter Three: Meeting with Dumbledore

Chapter Three  
  
The Meeting with Dumbledore.  
  
Harry Potter stared at the foreign girl with auburn hair and glittering green eyes a shade so much like his, who uttered his name with a heavy accent. He saw another girl with long, slightly curly black hair and blue- violet eyes went to the auburn-haired girl.  
  
"Sakura-chan, is he the one?" Tomoyo asked Sakura in a hushed tone.  
  
Sakura nodded mutely. The others stared at Sakura and Tomoyo questioningly.  
  
"You see, I had this dream. " she started to explain, but Eriol stopped her.  
  
"We must wait first, Sakura-san, one of our visitors can't understand us." he told them. Then he turned to the old man with long, silver hair.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, if I may do the honor. " he asked.  
  
Dumbledore nodded happily, his eyes twinkling.  
  
Eriol lifted his right hand, where a small, golden key with one end shaped like a sun lies. Then he said, "RELEASE!"  
  
The small key stretched into a long staff with one sun shaped end.  
  
This action instigated several reactions. Sakura was astounded and Syaoran frowned due to Eriol's willingness to use his magic in front of visitors. Tomoyo, Meilin and Touya were surprised since this was their first time to see him do magic. Spinel and a startled Cerberus emerged from Sakura's backpack to look at Eriol, but Suppi wasn't concerned. Yukito's wings appeared, wrapped around him and he changed into Yue.  
  
And through all these, Harry watched them with his mouth hanging open, especially when a yellow, flying stuff toy and a flying black cat appeared, and one of the visitors transformed into a man with floor length white hair and vacant, icy-blue eyes.  
  
"Watch them, Harry. They will be your comrades from now on. They will help you in fighting Voldemort." Dumbledore told the boy beside him, smiling gently. "But I suspect they are more than that.."  
  
"What are they?" Harry whispered.  
  
Dumbledore laughed softly. "They're also human, wizards and witches. But they have capacities that even I can't comprehend."  
  
They silently watched as Eriol waved his long, golden staff and sparkles of small golden lights surrounded all of them.  
  
"Clow! " Yue said, incensed. "Why did you do that in front of others?!"  
  
"Eriol, what did you do?" Sakura asked him.  
  
"There, Harry. Now you can understand them." Dumbledore happily told him. "Thank you, Clow Reed. That was very nice."  
  
"Hey, you called him Clow Reed. Ahh!! We can understand what you're are saying!!" Cerberus said, flying to the old man. Dumbledore smiled serenely.  
  
Harry was stunned yet again. "The staff toy can talk." he murmured unbelieving. "What is that, a new breed of species? It's not a thestral, nor a banshee, nor a grindylow, nor a kappa."  
  
Cerberus flew towards Harry. "I AM CERTAINLY NOT A KAPPA!!!" He put his round face directly in front of Harry. "I am the most handsome and the most powerful spirit guardian in the whole world, CERBERUS!!!"  
  
Harry gaped at him. "Severus? You mean Snape?"  
  
"Harry." Dumbledore warned him.  
  
"Oh, alright, Professor, I meant Professor Snape." Harry ammended.  
  
The flying stuff toy glared at him. "It is spelled C-E-R-B-E-R-U-S." he told him. "I am a spirit guardian of my mistress, Sakura." He gestured toward Sakura.  
  
Eriol turned to Sakura's group. "Everyone, meet Professor Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and his student, Harry Potter." Then he turned to Dumbledore and Harry. He smiled. "Harry, let me introduce myself. I am Eriol Hiragizawa, a friend of Professor Dumbledore. You might imagine how I knew Dumbledore." He inclined his head sidewards. "Dumbledore and I were friends at Hogwarts, but I was killed decades ago, so I was reincarnated and became Eriol Hiragizawa. Back then, I was known as Clow Reed."  
  
"Whoa. you mean to tell me you're the Clow Reed? The creator of the Clow Cards? " Harry murmured.  
  
"You mean HE'S Albus Dumbledore!?" Cerberus asked in a shout, while pointing at Dumbledore. Yue frowned.  
  
Dumbledore smiled and nodded, his eyes twinkling brightly.  
  
"You know the Clow Cards?" Sakura asked Harry suddenly. Harry turned to the cute Japanese girl and nodded. "I got a bunch of his picture in the Chocolate Frog cards."  
  
Eriol nodded serenely. Then he gestured to Sakura. "This is my successor, Sakura Kinomoto. She is the new owner of the Clow Cards. Beside her is her best friend, Tomoyo Daidouji. Behind Sakura is my descendant, Syaoran Li. On Sakura's other side is Syaoran's cousin, Meilin Li. The dark-haired young man is Sakura's older brother, Touya Kinomoto and the other young man is another spirit guardian, Yue. His human alter ego is Yukito Tsukishiro." Eriol introduced non-stop, making Harry's head spin.  
  
The whole group bowed.  
  
"A sign of respect in Japan." Dumbledore told him. Then he turned to the group. "You might, in turn, ask what is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? The name says it all. It is a school for witches and wizards, to introduce them to their magical nature. You see, you might not notice, but there are secret places of witches and wizards all over the world. I would not like to divulge all the secrets of this secret world because, you see, I am inviting Sakura, Syaoran, Meilin and Tomoyo to go to Hogwarts. And of course, Eriol, too."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A week had past since Sakura's group arrived in England. Dumbledore took his leave after dinner that first day so Harry was left all alone. But he was surprised at how everyone was so kind around him. Sakura and her friends were at first uneasy, but in the end, they became his friends.  
  
Especially Sakura. It was so easy to get along Sakura because of her sunny disposition. And he found her cute. Her anti-thesis is Syaoran. Harry found him silent, wary and unsmiling, but he suspected the younger boy just don't want anyone noticing that in reality, he is not. His façade always fell whenever Sakura is around, though, because he's either blushing, smiling or staring at her. Eriol, on the other hand, is very mystical. No wonder he and Dumbledore are friends, both of them are powerful magicians. Harry found himself looking every now and then at Tomoyo because she's just so beautiful and so princess-like. But he don't fancy himself in-love with her. The feeling's just like that when he first saw the veelas. Syaoran's cousin, Meilin, was also friendly and very skilled in martial arts. She was so surprised to know that she is a witch. Both she and Tomoyo stared at each other when Dumbledore announced that he planned to invite them to Hogwarts. Sakura's eyes widened a bit, then she went to her brother. Syaoran went directly to Dumbledore and clasped his hands. "I suspect you're a very powerful magician. I can feel your aura." Eriol just smiled enigmatically. Dumbledore did the same, though not as enigmatically. Then he told them that he will inform their families right away.  
  
The four spirit guardians are so different from each other. Cerberus, who told Harry to call him Kero, was just so noisy and naughty. He likes to compete with Spinel, or Suppi, who doesn't like to talk. Except for those times when Kero's around, by then, he's as loud as Kero. Yue is also quiet. He only appears when he wants to. His alter ego, Yukito, is very cheerful and friendly. And he's a glutton. Ruby Moon, on the other hand, was a handful and she is so fond of Touya, but Touya just tolerates her. The handsome Japanese just don't have feelings toward her.  
  
Everyone spent their time getting to know each other. While Sakura and her friends discovered little by little the magical world of magicians, with the help of Harry's things, Harry was simply astonished at the power he had seen from the Clow cards during those brief times he had seen Sakura use it. One time, he saw her use it on Kero when he took a bath. She used Bubble, who conjured a lot of bubble that some of it spilled from the tub. She did the same thing Eriol did during their first day, held up a star- shaped key and transformed it to a stick much shorter than Eriol's. Then she took out a card and hit it with her stick.  
  
He also caught a glimpse of Syaoran's magic. One time, they were having a barbecue outside. One leaf caught spark then suddenly, almost all parts of the tree were suffused with fire. Since the people closest to the tree were Harry and Syaoran, and since Harry couldn't think of a spell to use, Syaoran used his magic. He held up some sort of an oriental orb and it transformed to a gleaming sword. He then held up a piece of paper with Chinese writings and conjured water from it. Harry was truly impressed.  
  
Harry now has enough time to study and write letters to Ron and Hermione. Unlike the Dursleys who didn't want him to flaunt his being a wizard to the world, here he had the freedom to compose his essays and do his homeworks anywhere. He wrote long letters to Ron and Hermione about his newly found friends and Dumbledore's plan. He also told them about Clow Reed. "Really, Harry? You've met Clow Reed?" asked Hermione on one of her letters. "Blimey, Harry, you've seen the Clow Cards?" asked Ron on one of his letters. He knew that they were worried about him because he had not answered any of their letters this past month and they had only received 'Thank You' notes for their presents, so he suspect they were relieved to hear from him.  
  
There had also been frequent letters from the members of the Order. Especially from Lupin. They already know about Dumbledore's plan, so they didn't need the exact details. Sometimes, they're just asking how was he. Harry almost told them that he's not a baby anymore, but decided against it. He knows that they're just concerned about him.  
  
Every now and then, he still thought about Sirius' death. Every night, he still dreamed about it. It still hurt to remember, but Harry was surprised to find it bearable. He found himself turning back to his former self. Not the Harry who, in the past month, had lived like someone had killed him and placed a cold automaton in his place.  
  
Thank God for all of his friends, for they helped him forget his grief.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Two weeks before September 1, Sakura, Tomoyo, Touya, Yukito and Cerberus went back to Japan while Syaoran and Meilin went back to Hongkong.  
  
At first, Fujitaka was anxious for Sakura to enter a school of Wizardry. He already knew that his children had extraordinary powers, but Touya convinced him to do it. How, Sakura didn't know.  
  
Tomoyo's mother was so surprised, even more surprised than her daughter, but either Tomoyo convinced her or Dumbledore's letter convinced her.. either way, she's still coming.  
  
Syaoran's mother agreed instantly. He told her by phone immediately that first day when they met professor Dumbledore. Meilin's parents agreed, too.  
  
One week later, they were on their way back to London.  
  
~~~~~~~@@@@@~~~~~~~  
  
Minna-san! I think I'm going to stop here for a while 'cause the truth is, I haven't made up my mind 'bout how this story would continue. I have thought of something, but I have to ponder over it, think about it for a while... but don't worry, I'll continue this!!! As soon as I have enough time.  
  
~~~~The Glass Angel. 


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